10/30/2024
Well here it is folks, and please bear with me. As an old soldier taught and accustomed to "powering through" it's been a mentally exhausting battle with myself to get to the point of writing this:
Over the last year medical issues (cataract surgery, tumor removal on my arm) slowed down my ability to work, particularly; to work fast and long hours. Just as I was getting some of the strength back, the "wear down" accelerated...I am now pending fusion surgery on my neck (C6 &C5) and some bone removal on C7. Once healed from that, the process for shoulder surgeries begins (yes, surgeries! Both shoulders have multiple rotator cuff tears). And somewhere/sometime in the mix I'll likely get a spinal stimulator implant. I'm going to hold off on the carpal tunnel surgeries as long as possible.
With all of these upcoming surgeries, physical therapy, healing, etc I've been forced into making the difficult decision to effectively "temporarily" shut down the business for what could be 6mths to a year.
For the time being, i will maintain my shop location and work on current "on the bench" items as I am able. No new work will be taken in (some exclusions do apply, ie: urgent repairs, 1st responders, fire/ems, etc). I will also continue laser engraving services (small scale/size) and refer larger laser projects (beyond my machine's size/capability) to my buddy Kurt Ballash at Ballash Woodworks .
We will also continue the leather workshops through the artisan's outreach/Ballash Woodworks and WWP. I'll be putting instructional videos together for demonstration purposes for those classes over the next few weeks and retain those as available resources for students.
Thank you for your understanding
Steve.
